You can download a full copy of recent Copeman Hart,
Johannus, Makin and
Rodgers testimonials.
Radlett, Mr Cross "The LiVE III organ is a whole different ballgame"
Darwen, Mr Cooper "If your looking for a real classical Organ then they are THE
Company to contact"
Northampton, Mr Burgess I have owned my Makin 3 Manual Custom Organ for just over a year now, and I don’t think a single day has passed where I haven’t played it. The realism of sound is simply unbelievable & breathtaking, you can hear the wind entering the pipes! It sounds amazing and also looks amazing - what a lovely piece of furniture to have in the house. I certainly am a proud owner of this wonderful instrument. I am in demand as an Organist, playing at more and more Services at several Churches, and it is so convenient to be able to practice in the comforts of your own home. My thanks to all the team at Church Organ World who are so friendly, professional and helpful. I would have no hesitation in recommending them to anyone who is looking to buy a new Organ.
Northampton, Mr Gibson: Until recently I was unaware of Church Organ World until I accessed the Rodgers Organ USA website. They directed me to their UK outlet at Church Organ World which turned out to be my lucky day.
From my initial telephone call to the invitation to visit their premises at Shaw I was treated in a very special way. It matters not that one is an experienced musician or a keen amateur (I include myself in the latter category) they are most helpful and understanding. Their knowledge of all aspects of digital organs coupled with Ian Tracey's involvement with the company means that they have to be one of the leaders in this field. After much thought I eventually decided on the purchase of the Rodgers Artist draw stop 599. This is a fantastic instrument with more voices than you can imagine and quite honestly I would find it difficult to improve on this model which is just right for my needs. At no time was I pressured into buying a particular make/model - I was just given their honest opinions and advice.
In conclusion I would most certainly recommend anyone aspiring to all things digital to contact Church Organ World - and by the way they make a lovely cup of coffee !!
Seaton, Peter Johnson: As you may rightly expect, I have been thrilled with my new Makin Windermere organ since its installation last December, but your ‘tweaking’ of the organ’s voicing on Sunday has further improved this already excellent instrument to the extent that I now have to tear myself away from the organ bench. Nothing much else is getting done around the house at the moment!
That said, I have been most impressed with all aspects of my ChurchOrganWorld experience, from the moment of my first enquiring about the purchase of a new instrument. I knew already that you have top quality products to offer, having previously played several of your earlier installations over recent years, but I have been especially reassured by the genuine friendliness and professionalism of all members of the Company staff with whom I have been in contact. The very fact that you attended personally for the installation and have now made a follow-up visit to make those minor adjustments demonstrates to me a real family team spirit and determination to be the best.
Thank you so much.
Epsom Downs, Roy Fraser: It is so rare, these days, to come across a firm where all the members (many long term) appear to function so well and pull together as a team or a family. All are so friendly, confident, efficiently well-trained, and so thorough at their job - a treat and a pleasure with whom to connect. I have recently had a Johannus LIVE installed - the realism of the sounds and cathedral effect are amazing - you are in there, playing !!
Aylesbury Methodist Church, Derrick Matthews: Under your admirable leadership, ‘Church Organ World’ has in my opinion become the leading UK company for digital organs. May your success continue.
Daniel Moult ... world renowned recitalist: The Makin at King’s school is by far the best digital organ I’ve ever played - you’re right to be proud of it.
St Stephen’s Methodist Church, Cannock, Eric Brooks: Our ailing old Binns pipe organ was well past its use by date and would have cost some £100,000 to rebuild. This was not considered a feasible proposition for a cut down (it had at one time been a three manual organ of considerable bigger specification) two manual 22 stop instrument where many stops sounded similar and there was no variety of sound.
A group of us were tasked with finding a more cost-effective instrument. Preferably three manual with a good all around specification in the style of an English pipe organ, suitable for our building. We took some considerable time to visit, listen to and play a variety of digital instruments by different makers before deciding upon Makin. We were determined to get it right and we are convinced that we did.
Your company did everything possible to be helpful and informative with no pushy sales talk. You were fast to respond to my request for literature and just as fast to my request for a visit and a survey of the building.
We were impressed that you as Managing Director came along with a colleague to do the survey and to make some very sound recommendations as to possible layouts and set up of an installation, should we decide to appoint Makin. However, there were no suggestions that we should actually purchase from you, just helpful advice. Your written report arrived swiftly just one week following your survey.
Whenever I telephoned your office I was always greeted like a friend rather than a potential customer. When I telephoned to ask what might have been a simple question to you, but a worrying one for us, I was always put straight through to you or, on one occasion you were out, to someone else who was instantly able to answer all my questions. On the single occasion that my question could not be answered instantly I was told that I would be called back with the answer and unlike many companies I deal with I was, with the answer required. It seemed that there was no problem too large to be overcome in a way to suit our building and us.
We were invited to visit your showroom at Mixbury to listen to Professor Ian Tracey demonstrating different organs. On that visit we were able to talk to Professor Ian Tracey, staff and engineers of both Makin and Copeman Hart about what was needed and what to look for in our research expeditions. We asked if we could go up to your HQ and showroom in Shaw, Lancashire, to try out different instruments and consoles. I made a call to the office and within a one minute of asking if a particular Saturday date was possible to visit, I was told that the showroom would be closed and available for our sole use and all its instruments available to us for a whole afternoon. I was amazed.
We asked if it might be possible to have a loan organ, of similar specification to what we were thinking of, to hear it in our surroundings. No sooner asked than one was installed on loan for a few weeks.
We asked a variety of local church organists and a couple of cathedral organist to come and play it and collected their comments and feelings to add to our own. All were very complimentary about the instrument and its great pipe sound. Some thought the jambs a little cramped but this would be solved by having the large console instead of a compact one. More space on the large console, so could we extend the specification and add more stops? No problem. We particularly wanted illuminated thumb pistons and again no problem. The decision was made and the order placed.
On the day of installation all happened speedily and efficiently. We worried about the long extension speaker cable to the extra socket at the front of church, enabling us to move the console on its platform to the front for recitals. A long cable was required and it worried us that it might be unsightly. We need not have worried. Steve and his installation team did not want it to be seen either and went to great lengths and some discomfort to hide the cable so effectively that none of the congregation even know that it exists.
You did the initial voicing yourself and we then we had some weeks using the organ both from the front and the back of the church. We again invited our organ testers to try it out and give their feelings about it. All were complimentary about the quality of woodwork, the feel of the key action, the stop specification and all the great pipe sounds. We made notes of everyone’s comments and these were taken on board when the instrument received its final voicing with you and Professor Tracey. We now have a superb instrument of great power and quality of sound. The instrument is a delight to listen to and to play.
Thank you all for everything you have done for us.